South Sudan: Thousands Seek Refuge From Fighting at UN Bases

New York, Dec 19
2013 - More than 30,000 people have now sought refuge on
United Nations bases in South Sudan from fighting between
the Government and rebels, with fatalities reported in an
attack on one of the sites, top UN officials said today,
pledging their best efforts to protect civilians in
danger.

“Violence is spreading and could spread even
further and we need all South Sudanese leaders and political
personalities now to immediately appeal [for] calm and call
on their supporters to suspend hostilities,” Deputy
Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told a news
conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

He added
that a UN base in Akobo, in restive Jonglei state, was
attacked with reports of as yet unspecified loss of life.
“Political dialogue is the only way to prevent further
escalation.”

Speaking separately on the issue, UN
spokesperson Farhan Haq said that in Akobo, where civilians
have gathered, Lou Nuer youth have reportedly forced an
entry into the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Temporary
Operating Base to reach to those civilians.

“Fighting
took place and we are yet to ascertain the situation. We
fear there may have been some fatalities but can't confirm
who and how many at this stage,” he said, adding that
UNMISS would try and extract unarmed UN personnel from the
area, while reinforcing the base in Akobo with additional 60
troops from Malakal tomorrow.

He went on to say that the
Government has reported to UNMISS that there has been youth
mobilization and movement towards Bor, but the Mission has
not been able to verify the claim. “At present, UNMISS is
providing security to over 14,000 civilians gathered around
the base, while providing protection at the Bor Airstrip,”
said Mr. Haq.

The Secretary-General has called on the
Government to cooperate fully with UNMISS as it fulfils its
protection mandate, including in the provision of basic
relief to civilians in need and in conducting human rights
investigations into allegations of human rights abuses in
recent days.

The Secretary-General’s Special
Representative, Hilde Johnson, remains in constant contact
with the Government and others with influence on these
issues, where similar messages were conveyed, Mr. Haq
added.

Mr. Eliasson said that UNMISS, which has over 6,800
troops and police in the country, has civilian protection as
part of its mandate, “and we take that mandate very
seriously, particularly in this situation when, clearly,
civilians are in danger,” he stressed. “And we will do
our best to protect them in the compounds and bases where
they are now housed. And we will try to also make sure that
they have provision of basic relief.”

Earlier in Geneva,
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said
an estimated 20,000 people, mainly women and children, are
still camped at UN premises in Juba. Others are reported to
be leaving the town in fear of attack by rival groups, in
what she called a rapidly deteriorating security
situation.

“We have received reports of civilians
killed in Juba based on their ethnicity,” she added. “I
call on the Government to send a clear message on command
responsibility within the SPLA (South Sudanese Army) to
prevent retaliatory attacks based on ethnicity and tribal
affiliation and to hold the alleged perpetrators
accountable,” she added.

Media reports say that hundreds
of people have been killed since the clashes between SPLA
forces began over the weekend, following what the President
Salva Kiir’s Government says was an attempted coup by
soldiers loyal to former deputy president Riek Machar, who
was dismissed in July.

“I am deeply worried about the
safety and security of civilians caught in the crossfire.
The risk of seeing the fighting taking on an ethnic
dimension is extremely high and could result in a dangerous
situation,” Ms. Pillay said, voicing “extreme concern”
for people arrested by the Government and reports of
numerous extra-judicial killings, and urging the authorities
to clarify the whereabouts of at least 10 former senior
government officials arrested in Juba two days ago.

“I
urge the Government to ensure that all those detained are
accorded due process and that they are promptly either
charged or released.”

Mr. Eliasson welcomed reports
today Mr. Kiir is willing to enter into talks and deplored
the call by some from former deputy president Riek Machar
camp to topple the Government. Yesterday Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council called on all parties
to immediately cease hostilities and exercise restraint to
prevent the further spread of violence.

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